2023-24 Clinic Season Off to Roaring Start
The impact that ISG has had on Baseball Ireland's development can be seen directly in the youth that are coming up through domestic development in the Irish Baseball Academy on the field and beyond. With clinics in France, Portugal, Ireland and Austria in November, the 2023-24 ISG Baseball clinic season got off to s brilliant start as the organization began its 39th year of educating coaches around the world.
Back to a full schedule of seminars after a few years of limited engagement due to the pandemic, ISG has ambitious plans to enhance coaches' understanding of new trends in baseball education. The annual EBCA Convention kicked off the calendar in Mulhouse, France and featured seven-time MLB All-Star Reggie Smith, one of baseball's truly remarkable statesmen, Don Sneddon, the winningest JUCO coach in California history, and newcomer to ISG clinics, C. J. Beatty, former St. Louis Cardinal, who mesmerized the coaches in attendance with his motivational talks. Portugal's clinic featured San Francisco Giant staffers Tim Leiper and Jose Montilla who joined clinic Team Leader, Wisconsin Whitewater head coach John Vodenlich and Warhawk assistant coach Mark Fuller in teaching over 40 coaches over the three day period. Over the same weekend, ISG President Tom O'Connell led a team to Dublin, Ireland's Strike Zone Academy where he and former University of Tennessee coach Dave Serrano and Babson College's Matt Noone presented to 25 enthusiastic Irish coaches and players. The next weekend, Vodenlich and Fuller traveled on to the Austrian Olympic Training Center over our Thanksgiving weekend to present to their national coaches. More ISG clinics will take place in the new year in Germany, Norway, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. 
Participants at the ISG Portugal clinic gather for a group shot.
One wall of the Strike Zone Academy in Dublin features the Irish flag in front of which speakers and participants posed at clinic's end.
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Making a point, C J Beatty addresses the coaches at the EBCA Clinic in France.
ISG Speakers Present at Prestigious Afide Meeting in Havana, CubaFor the third time, ISG was chosen to present at the annual Afide International Convention of Physical Activity and Sports in Havana, Cuba. Vice President Pete Caliendo and Arizona Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom visited the island nation and presented at the baseball portion of the three day affair.
Strom, fresh from his team's participation in the MLB World Series against the Texas Rangers, stirred thinking about current trends in pitching development 
A full seminar room of rapt Cuban coaches and officials listen intently to Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom.
Brent Strom and his wife Carrie admire an old Buick on the streets of Old Havana.
Aided by a Cuban coach, Caliendo explains a point about hitting.
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Information about frequent ISG clinicians. This month's featured presenter is Jerry Weinstein of the Colorado Rockies.
Click About Us/Our Clinicians for the story.
Next month's profile: Brent Strom HURRY! This is a benefit coaches can't afford to miss.
Click HERE!
One of the tremendous benefits of ABCA membership for coaches all over the world is FREE access to an amazing video library containing over 600 presentations from ABCA conventions, webinars, and Barnstormer clinics. This alone in worth the price of belonging to the ABCA.
Click HERE for a sample of the kinds of instructional videos available to all members. Preview videos will change every month. |
German Coach Creates Great Game to Introduce Baseball to Kids!
A good friend of ISG, Alper Bozkurt, has created a game which he uses to teach basic baseball skills to newcomers to the game. Bozkurt administers the Baseball Akademie Paderborn, a unique school where students not only study academic subjects in various schools in the area around the Academy but also spend several nights per week honing their physical and baseball-specific skills.
Bozkurt has long been a fixture in game development in his home state of North Rhine Westphalia traveling the area and working with kids of all ages. But his creation of Alper Ball has been much more successful than he could ever have dreamed. The game simplifies what are sometimes difficult rules to understand for beginners and creates situations that foster success - and most importantly -- FUN.
A graphic illustration of the game's rules can be found here on our "Coaching Tips" page. For further information regarding the game, Alper would be very willing to talk more about it. His contact information is also provided on that page.
Bozkurt has long been a fixture in game development in his home state of North Rhine Westphalia traveling the area and working with kids of all ages. But his creation of Alper Ball has been much more successful than he could ever have dreamed. The game simplifies what are sometimes difficult rules to understand for beginners and creates situations that foster success - and most importantly -- FUN.
A graphic illustration of the game's rules can be found here on our "Coaching Tips" page. For further information regarding the game, Alper would be very willing to talk more about it. His contact information is also provided on that page.
Baseball Canada's Vision for Long Term Athletic Development Shared in Coaching Tips Section
Baseball Canada is miles ahead of the curve when it comes to developing athletes for life-long success. Thanks to our friend Andre Lachance, they have allowed us to share the scope of that vision with you. Check out our coaching tips section for a graphic illustration of their LTAD plans.
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